Unhappy sword
Balin's noble sword. A damsel came to Lady Lile of Avelion saying that she wants to take revenge on her brother who killed her lover. (2,iv) Lile gave her the sword, saying that only one of the best knights of this realm, hard and full of prowess, can pull it, and with that sword he should slay her brother. (2,v) She traveled saying that she seeks a pure knight of his hands and deeds, without villainy or treachery or treason, of a gentle strain of father and mother side; only such a knight can pull this sword. As she said later, she went to King Rience hearing that there are good knights; he and all his knights tried to pull the sword but nobody succeeded. She came to Camelot and said she was sent by lady Lile and her quest. Arthur tried first pulling hard, and the damsel told him that such strength is not needed, as the chosen one will do it with little effort. He was then followed by most of the barons of the Round Table that were there at that time but all failed. She made great sorrow saying that she expected to find good knights here, and Arthur was displeased too. (2,i) Disappointed she took her leave, but then Balin asked to try last. She saw that he was a likely man but poor, and said there is no need to try where others have failed. Balin replied that worthiness and goodness are inside a man, and she liked his words and let him try. Indeed he drew out the sword easily. She was happy and saluted him as the best knight she ever found, that will do many marvels. But Balin refused to return the sword. The damsel warned him that keeping the sword will mean slaying his best friend, and that it will destroy him, but he stil refused. Sadly, she said that she wanted to protect him more than having the sword, and he will regret it soon. (2,ii) The sword is probably his second sword because thereafter Balin was known as "The Knight with the Two Swords". (2,viii) Apparently Balin carried some other single sword when he came to Pellam's castle, which he refused to surrender. (2,xiv) Later Pellam broke this sword when he attacked him, and Balin took the spear of Longius to defend himself. (2,xv) Later however in some unknown manner he recovers his two swords along with the unhappy sword since Balan later sees him with 2 swords on the island and it is with the unhappy sword that Balin fought him and inflicted his mortal wounds. (2,xviii) After Balin's death Merlin came to the island and repomelled his sword and asked a knight to handle it, who failed; Merlin laughed and said there shall never man handle this sword but the best knight of the world, and that shall be Launcelot or his son Galahad, and Launcelot with this sword shall slay the man that in the world he loved best, Gawaine. He wrote that prophecy on the pommel. He then put the sword on a marble stone, as great as a mill stone, standing upright and floating always above the water, after many years will swim down the stream to Winchester and on Whitsunday Galahad will achieved the sword from the marble stone on the water. (2,xix) category:objects category:nameless